Girl Meets Checkmate
by FictionAficionada
Summary: "What are you doing here Farkle?" she asked as he pulled up a chair and sat beside her at the window. He held her gaze. It bothered her that he could. That he never looked away first. That she was always the one shifting her eyes away. Why was he able to do that to her?
1. Chapter 1

It was their first winter break since they had all started college and the 2019 class of Abigail Adams High had decided they were due for a reunion. They hadn't all ended up going to the same colleges like they had once dreamed of doing. They were a little older now, a little wiser and they knew that their friendship would still endure despite the distance of college.

Lucas had ended up at Cornell University and enrolled in one of the nation's finest veterinary programs. Riley stayed in New York to attend NYU, still unsure of what she wanted for her future. Maya had decided to continue pursuing art and though she loved Riley and New York, she needed a slight change of scenery and opted to go to the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. Farkle, being the genius that he was, pretty much had his choice of colleges and had opted for MIT. Zay had also stayed in New York, attending NYU alongside Riley and Smackle had left for Harvard to pursue law.

The group had decided that for this holiday season, they would return to the Mount Sun ski lodge. Somehow word had spread, likely by Zay, that the gang was reuniting at the lodge and suddenly their quiet trip had become a whole winter class reunion.

So here she was, Maya Hart, confined to the bay window of the ski lodge's lounge, when she had been committed there only 5 hours into their trip. With her left leg propped up on a throw pillow, Maya watched as the snow fell outside softly, settling with ease on the pines. They were in the heart of a winter wonderland, just two days before the New Year, and she was down for the count thanks to a sprained ankle that she earned not from skiing but slipping on the wet floor of the lodge's lobby only hours after their arrival. The doctor had wrapped her ankle and given her crutches, telling her to stay off of it for a few days. Just her luck she thought with a heavy sigh as she turned back to the sketchbook in her lap. She looked up every so often, observing the crowd in the lounge before gazing back to the two-dimensional world in front of her, attempting to capture the same soft fire-lit glow of the café on paper.

The voice of her best friend eventually distracted her from her thoughts.

"Here you go, Peaches," Riley said, handing her a mug of hot cocoa filled to the brim with marshmallows.

"Thanks Riles," she said with a warm smile, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the hot chocolate.

The brunette plopped down on the ledge of the bay window beside her blonde partner in crime with a distressed look on her face.

"It's a real bummer that you hurt your leg, and so early in the trip too," she said with a frown, "all because of a soppy, soggy no-good floor."

"Riley, it's ok, I'm fine," Maya reassured her. _No hope, No disappointments_ she thought to herself.

"Besides," she added, "I'm not coordinated for skis anyway. I'm sure I would have ended up grounded at this bay window one way or another. Plus, look on the bright side—this whole ordeal has earned us free hot chocolates for the rest of our stay, a cabin upgrade, and the lodge is even letting me come back free of charge when I'm all healed up."

Riley smiled widely at her best friend. "Aww peaches, look at you finding the silver lining!"

Maya smiled at her and just shook her head, "Well I learned from the best didn't I, Sunshine?"

"Well not to worry!" Riley said animatedly, "As long as your leg has to stay propped up, I will be by your side! 24/7!"

Maya raised her eyebrows and grinned at the brunette. She loved Riley, she really did but 24/7 of Riley would lead them to conversations she didn't want to have. Conversations about certain boys, past, present, and future all of which Maya preferred not to speak of. In all honesty, she didn't mind the quiet moments of solitude the day sometimes offered. It was during these times that she often came up with her best pieces of art.

"Don't be ridiculous, Riles! I'm fine. Go crazy, kid!"

"Nonsense, Maya! I am your best friend and this is what best friends do. I know you'd do the same for me so there is nothing you can say or do to change my mind about it."

As if it was a sign from above, the door to the lodge opened ushering in a gust of cold air and none other than their favorite ranger followed by a trail of snow bunnies. Maya watched her friend with curiosity. She watched distress play out on her face, torn between loyalty to her best friend and love for the hopeless saga that was Riley & Lucas. Maya then turned her gaze over to the Texan surrounded by girls, all vying for his attention. He looked up at them, smiled and gave a wave.

It didn't bother her, all those girls. Not for her sake at least. She and Huckleberry determined they were definitely better suited as friends back in 9th grade. Riley, however, was still as in love with him now as she was that first day on the subway. And she was pretty sure Lucas was still just as smitten by his little ray of Rileyshine. The two had dated throughout high school but as Lucas prepared to leave for college 4 hours away from Riley, the two had decided to put their relationship on hold. Which put them in this awkward predicament of not knowing what they were to one another. All it took was one look at her best friend's face to know that Riley was worried that she could lose Lucas to the swarm of girls surrounding him. There was just something about the cozy lodge, the soft glow of the fireplace, and snow gently falling outside that made people just want to cuddle up together. _Nature!_ She heard Mr. Matthews voice resound in her head from all those years ago.

"Hey Riles?" Maya called out.

"Hmm?" Riley replied, not breaking her eyes away from Lucas and his entourage.

"Yeah, remember that girl Lauren your parents talked about? The one your dad met at the ski lodge when he was like 16? The one he spent all night talking to?"

This caught her attention and Riley turned to face her best friend again, her doe eyes filled with fear.

"Well kid, don't let the blonde Betty over there become the Lauren to you and Lucas."

Riley turned back once more to look at the blonde draping herself over Lucas' arm. "But…"

"But nothing!" Maya shouted, "Get over there! Get over there right now! Ring Power!"

Riley looked at Maya and smiled gratefully. There was no denying ring power and she knew it. "Thanks, Maya!"

Maya watched as Riley approached Lucas, his eyes brightening at the sight of her. Maya shook her head with a smile as the door to the lodge opened once more revealing a snow-sprinkled Farkle, accompanied by Isadora Smackle and her tag-along Ivy League stick-in-the-mud friend, Mitsi McMarkle. Maya rolled her eyes. It was just her luck that Zay's big mouth had announced to entire former class of Abigail Adams High that they would be up here this weekend. It wasn't that Maya disliked Smackle but she supposed that if she were being truly honest with herself it was that throughout most of high school Smackle had something Maya had wanted, though she'd never admit it out loud. She looked to Smackle's left, catching Farkle's eye who winked at her from across the room. She gave him a small smile and turned back to her drawing.

Ever since Farkle ditched the turtlenecks in favor of some hoodies and his bowl cut in favor of an edgier chop, it stirred something inside her that she longed to ignore. It didn't help that over the years he had also grown a little taller and had filled out with a little more muscle by playing basketball with Zay and Lucas on the weekends. By no means was he athletically built like Lucas but it was just enough to still be Farkle. He was still the lovable, loyal, goofy, and eccentric Farkle but with a dash of _whoa_ that left Maya a little unsure of herself around him at times. They had grown even closer lately with both of them attending schools in Massachusetts. They were just a short ride away from one another, him on the north side in Cambridge, and her south in Boston. And of course, it was just her luck that Smackle was just down the street from him at Harvard.

She watched the group a little longer from the corner of her eye. Puberty had been good to Smackle. She was a late bloomer but boy had she bloomed. The girl definitely turned a few heads nowadays.

With yet another sigh, Maya returned to her drawing, her oil pastel breaking at the pressure she applied to the surface. She cursed under her breath, reminding herself to be more careful with the new set that Shawn had just given her for her as an early birthday present. Placing all her energy back into her drawing, she tuned out the world, ignoring everything and everyone around her. She had become so entranced that she hadn't even noticed most of the crowd slowly filtering out of the lounge.

So when she heard him whisper, "Pretty blonde lady!" in her ear, she nearly fell out of the bay window, her pastels flying in the air.

"Damn it, Farkle!" she yelled, her hand splayed across her heart, "You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry," he replied with a sheepish grin as he picked up her orange pastel from the floor and handed it to her. Maya tried to ignore the current that passed between them as his hand grazed hers.

"What are you doing here Farkle?" she asked as he pulled up a chair and sat beside her at the window. He held her gaze. It bothered her that he could. That he never looked away first. That she was always the one shifting her eyes. Why was he able to do that to her?

Maya turned back to her drawing, focusing entirely too much on the sketchpad in front of her.

"Aren't your FarkleNation groupies going to have me lynched just for talking to you?" she added with a hint of bitterness when he hadn't answered her first question.

"Eh, Farkle Friends come before Farkle Groupies," he replied good-naturedly and he leaned in closer to her.

She lifted her eyes to meet his deep dark blue ones. She could get lost in them.

"Well what about Smackle?" she asked, clearing her throat, "you sure she doesn't mind?"

"Of course not, she and I are just friends."

Maya raised her eyebrows and snorted, "Are you sure she knows that?"

Farkle followed Maya's gaze over to Smackle standing in the corner of the café with Mitsi, giving Maya the stink eye. He shrugged and shifted his gaze back to Maya. Maya knew that Smackle and Farkle had broken up at around this time last year but she wasn't sure Smackle ever got the memo.

"Smackle is great and all but she's not it for me."

"Right…Because beauty and brains, what's not to like," Maya replied sarcastically, giving Farkle a pointed look.

He chuckled easily.

"Well yes, she is those things but she's not the only one with beauty and brains out there, you know," he returned with a meaningful look in his eyes.

Maya could feel the blood flooding her face. She was thankful for the proximity of the fireplace and hoped it was concealing any trace of the crimson shade that colored her face. She looked back to Smackle. She felt bad for the girl. If a girl like her couldn't even win Farkle's heart, who could?

"But you guys are so similar" she said with a bit of sadness in her voice that she couldn't place. Maybe it was in solidarity with the girl in corner and in knowing the feeling of an unrequited love.

"Too similar, I think" he said.

"Well, we used to think the same thing about Riley and Lucas but they still seem to work?" she offered, though she didn't know why. It was like she was trying to convince him to be with Smackle. This was masochistic.

"Things aren't black and white when it comes to love, Maya. What is true for them isn't necessarily true for me, or for you, or anyone else," he reasoned. Farkle moved over to sit at the bay window beside her. He lifted her injured leg, taking a seat before setting her leg back down on his lap.

"Smackle is a great intellectual mind and being with her would be easy. Arguments with her would be rational and factual. But they'd feel like a trial or a debate every time. They'd be dull but they'd be easy. Would you want a relationship that's easy or one that challenges you? I think there needs to be a balance between the rational analytical minds and the passionate artistic minds. Don't you think? Remember Harper's lesson on Sense and Sensibility?" he asked shifting his eyes up to hers.

Maya swallowed, her throat dry, unsure how to answer as all she could focus on was the fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach as his fingers traced small circles on her ankle.

"What?" she asked in a daze, after a long silent pause.

Farkle gave her a soft smile, shaking his head. For a moment, Maya had thought Farkle was talking about him and her but she shook that thought away. Farkle wanted a challenge, he needed a brainiac and she was nowhere near that. Hell, he still helped her with her core math classes, even in college.

"Ok," he said, looking around to see that the café was near empty, "Well, were you planning on going to the get together over at Dave's cabin later?"

"I think I'd prefer to stay away from Do-Good Dave's parties," she replied, her eyes flicking to his. He furrowed his brows and frowned for a moment as he nodded in understanding.

"Well then what do you say we turn this into a movie night?" he said shaking away the thoughts that had been occupying his mind, "Me, you, popcorn, peanut M&Ms?"

"That sounds nice Farkle, but you don't need to babysit me. I'll be fine. Besides everyone is going to that party tonight, I'm sure that would be much more exciting than watching my leg heal."

"You're not going so not everyone is going," he countered.

"Well, you should enjoy the trip. Catch up with people," she offered.

"Yeah? Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah," she said trying her best to sound convincing.

"Ok," he said standing and nodding as Maya's heart sank a little. "Great! Well since you want me to enjoy the trip, the first thing I want to go do is watch a movie with you, pretty lady! Let's go!" he reached out his hand to help her up.

"Farkle—" Maya tried to argue but he interrupted.

"Maya, do you or do you not want me to enjoy this trip?"

"Yes—but…"

"But nothing. Look, I'd much rather hang out watching a movie with you than sit around and make small talk with people I haven't seen in 6 months."

Maya gave him a soft smile, and took his hand as he helped her up, holding her waist to steady her as she gained her footing. They stood there for a moment, her eyes moving from his lips to his eyes, a move that did not go unnoticed by Farkle as he moved in, closing the gap between them ever so slightly.

"Maya—I—" Farkle began to speak when they heard a voice that immediately broke them apart.

"Ooohwee….Farkle and Maya…sitting in a tree! Look at you two looking all cozy by that fireplace. Hey Farkle, looks like Maya's getting all flustered on your behalf," Zay Babineaux shouted as he left the lodge, door slamming behind him.

"An eye for an eye, Babineaux!" Maya threatened before turning back to Farkle, an awkward silence falling between them.

Farkle gave her a tight smile, "Ready?"

He picked up the crutches leaning against the fireplace and handed it to her as she followed him out of the lodge and over to cabin 8, where Farkle, Lucas and Zay were staying. They walked in silence, both mortified from their encounter with Zay, hoping to forget the whole thing ever happened. But Maya couldn't forget and she had a feeling Farkle couldn't either.


	2. Chapter 2

The walk to the cabin was silent. Too silent. If this was what the rest of the night would be like, then Maya figured she had better start thinking of a way out of it and fast. Maybe she could suggest that they go to Dave's after all.

"So," Farkle spoke up, breaking the ice, "What are you in the mood for tonight?"

The question caught Maya by surprise. For a moment she wasn't exactly sure what Farkle had asked her.

"What?" she questioned, looking up at him, her blue eyes searching for meaning in his.

"Movie?" he clarified as he unlocked the door to the cabin, "What do you want to watch?"

"Oh," she responded, feeling slightly embarrassed that her mind had wandered elsewhere, "anything is fine."

He rolled his eyes at her and smiled, ushering her into the warmth of his cabin. "That's what every girl says and never actually means it."

"Well, guess I'm not every girl," she replied simply, taking off her scarf and hanging it on the coat rack.

Farkle, who was now trying to light the fireplace, stopped and looked at her from across the room.

"No," he said with a smile, "no you're not."

Maya turned away, feeling slightly flushed, and busied herself with shedding her coat. She then made her way over to the couch as Farkle disappeared into the kitchen. Maya picked up the television remote and scrolled through the movie selection available. She stopped when she hit _The Martian_.

 _Farkle would like this,_ she thought, though she was sure he'd seen it already since it had been out for a few years. It had Matt Damon for her and a ton of science crap for Farkle. The aroma of freshly popped corn wafted from the kitchen to the TV room and brought a smile to Maya's face. The scent was shortly followed by Farkle himself carrying a tray with an enormous bowl of popcorn and two drinks.

"Farkle, that's enough popcorn to feed an entire movie theatre!" Maya exclaimed as he set the bowl in her lap.

"Oh, Maya Penelope Hart—You forget that you are no mystery to me. You and I both know that you could probably finish that bowl off before the movie even starts," he replied with an all-knowing smirk.

She grinned widely at him. It was true.

"Especially," he added, pulling a yellow box from his pocket and dangling it in front of her, "when you add these to the mix."

Maya's eyes brightened even further at the sight of the peanut M&M's. It was her absolute favorite way to enjoy her movie snacks. The buttery bites of salted popcorn melded with the sweet morsels of candied chocolate-covered peanuts was just perfection.

"Oh, Farkle Minkus! You really do know the way to a girl's heart," she said as she playfully batted her eyelashes with a laugh.

"Milady, shall I do the honors?" he asked with a slight bow.

"Pour away, good sir!" she commanded, holding the bowl out.

He finished emptying the contents of the box into the bowl and then mumbled something about changing out of his outerwear. She shivered without her coat. She hadn't bothered bundling up since she had spent all day by the fireplace in the lodge. But their cabins were slightly cooler than the lounge at the lodge. She was considering grabbing her coat, when Farkle returned from the room, having traded his heavy winter jacket for a plain white thermal undershirt, dark jeans and discarded his shoes for just socks. He tossed a cardinal red MIT hoodie her way as he hopped over the back of the couch and plopped down beside her, draping his arm across the back and tossing a throw blanket between them.

"Ah, The Martian. Good choice!" he said excitedly, "I actually haven't seen this one yet."

He was such a dork she thought with a fond smile as she pulled on the hoodie and zipped it up. She was now enveloped by his scent, a mix of pine and fresh soap, and found it comforted her.

"Does it even matter if you have or haven't seen it? Don't you know what's going to happen anyway?" Maya smirked, turning and giving him a pointed look.

Farkle chuckled, reaching over to grab a handful of popcorn. "Exactly, which is why Lucas and Zay wouldn't let me go with them to watch this one when it came out. Actually, I think you are the only one who will still watch a new movie with me."

This was true as well. She actually liked Farkle's clairvoyant quirk of guessing movie endings. She'd made a game of it, sometimes timing him on just how quick he really was. Now that she thought about it though, she and Farkle really did do this a lot. Zay and Lucas refused movie nights with him and his extrasensory perception had even turned Riley away after he ruined _The Fault in Our Stars_ for her back in high school. Smackle on the other hand felt that movies were to the brain what sugar was to the teeth. _Pfft…Whatever_. So it came to be that Maya and Farkle had created their own unofficial movie night tradition, just the two of them. When they were still in New York, sometimes he'd come over to her house. Other times she'd go over to his place. Sometimes they'd meet at the movies and grab a bite at Topanga's afterward. Now with both of them school, occasionally, when their schedules allowed for it, they'd meet in Boston for movie nights as well. Their most recent outing had ended up with them snuggled up in his dorm after being banished from the theatre as he had her in a fit of giggles.

They had done this hundreds of times. But something felt different now. And as she looked over to her blue-eyed best friend, his hair casually swept away from his face as the glow of the fireplace lit up the freckles that peppered his face, she felt that double thump in her chest and knew exactly what had changed. She had let herself hope. She hoped for more with him and now she couldn't just turn it off.

"So, Farkle," she said, shaking her thoughts out of her head, "What's your call on this movie?"

"Okay, I'll play," he said, "So the premise is: guy gets stranded on Mars, is left for dead by his crew, and has to survive on Mars with limited resources until a rescue team can reach him in 4 years. What do you want to know?"

"Does he survive? Do they rescue him?" Maya asked.

"Pfft…Those are elementary questions, Maya. Of course they do," Farkle replied, "Have you ever seen Matt Damon movies? He never dies and he's always trapped in some remote location. But here is what's impressive, I am going to tell you exactly how they'll save him this time. Prepare for a mind-blowing experience!"

Maya raised her eyebrows at him as he began to tell her about the most detailed rescue mission ever. She wasn't sure how Farkle could possibly know this but the kid was a genius.

Two hours later, Maya sat stretched out on the couch, her legs resting on Farkle's lap, her jaw dropped. He did it. He actually did it! He guessed it correctly, every last detail. _Every last detail_ , Maya thought again. She looked at Farkle again, a satisfied grin on his face at her amazement. Something just wasn't right, she thought. There was no way he could have predicted all that from the start of the movie. She turned to face him and narrowed her eyes at him. He noticed her gaze and his grin began to fade.

"Maya?" he said tentatively.

"You lying little weasel, Minkus!" Maya shouted, grabbing the pillow off the couch and swatting him with it.

"What?" he asked with a laugh.

"There's no way you could have known all that. And let me tell you something about cheaters, Minkus. You're not a good one!" she said with more emotion than she even knew she was feeling, "A good cheater knows to get some of the answers wrong on the test rather than getting a perfect score."

"But I always get perfect scores," he countered, "so by my performance standards, if I had missed a detail, then that should have been suspicious."

She sharpened her gaze on him further. Being played for a fool was not something Maya Hart appreciated. She swatted him with the pillow again demanding an answer.

"How did you know? Did you watch this movie!?" she shouted.

"No," he said with a laugh, "I swear to you, I didn't watch it."

She stared him down. There was an impish glint in his eyes and it upset her so she turned away from him and just stared into the fire, arms crossed over her chest.

"Maya?" he asked tentatively, sensing by her body language that all was not well anymore.

"Did you watch this movie?" she asked again, her tone stern.

"No," he said sincerely, "I read the book."

Her eyes widened in anger and Farkle recoiled, waiting for the inevitable. She slammed the pillow against his chest and made to get up.

"Maya!" he exclaimed, holding her legs on his lap so that she wouldn't be able to run, "What's wrong? Why are you upset?"

"You lied to me!" she shouted, her blue eyes piercing his. She turned her head away abruptly and continued staring into the fire, fighting the tears that were building up. Tears that she couldn't quite explain.

"Maya, it was just a joke," Farkle tried reasoning with her, not understanding where her anger was coming from.

"But friends don't lie to friends," she said shaking her head, throwing his own words right back at him.

"But Maya—"

"And you had never lied to me, Farkle. And I have never lied to you. Ever," she added quietly as she managed to wrangle herself from him and moved to stand by the window.

"I thought that had to count for something," she whispered more to herself but Farkle picked up on it.

She had left the blue-eyed boy speechless. He stood up and followed her to the window, turning her around to face him.

"Of course it does," he reassured her, his eyes softening at the hurt girl standing before him, "But Maya, I didn't mean any harm by it."

"No one ever does, do they? Mean harm by it? It always starts off harmless _—'I've got midterms to study for'… 'I'm just running out to the store, I'll be back soon'_. And pretty soon you find out that "studying for midterms" means screwing Missy Bradford," she cried out, her voice cracking, "and running to the store means never seeing your father again."

Farkle finally understood where it all stemmed from— the lies told to her by significant men in her life—and his heart was torn for her. Josh Matthews for toying with her heart last year and her father for breaking it so severely that it would take years to repair. But something about her statement just didn't sit right with Farkle. She was comparing him to them over something that truly was harmless.

"That's bull, Maya and you know it!" he blurted out passionately, his own emotions getting the best of him.

"Excuse me!?" she shouted back at him, outraged.

"Those were not harmless lies, Maya! They were done with the intent to deceive you!"

"And how is that any different than what you just did!?" she threw back at him, as tears now rolled freely down her cheeks.

"We were having a good time! We were playing a game! I didn't do it to break your heart, I did it because I love the amazed look on your face at the end of it and I always want to be the one to amaze you."

Maya felt a knot form in her throat. She wanted to run but her body felt like lead, grounding her in place.

"God, Maya," he added as he stepped closer to her, "You deserve that, you know? Someone who wants to amaze you every day, to make you happy! You know that, right?"

She didn't know that. She knew he could see it in her eyes that she didn't know or believe that she deserved that, even after all these years. Maya pressed her lips together to keep from sobbing and turned away from him, embarrassed that she was crying in front of him yet again. But Farkle pulled her back to face him. Other than Riley, he'd been the only other person that she'd ever let see her cry.

"Do you really think I could ever do something like that to anyone, let alone you, someone I love and have loved my whole life?" he asked, holding her gaze.

Maya's breath caught in her throat. Her heart nearly stopping at his words. He loved her? She shook off the thought. Of course he loved her. He loved Riley too. He had told them that a thousand times over. He had even told Lucas that not choosing between her and Riley meant he always got to have both in his life. It didn't mean he was in love with her though. How could he be? He had so much to offer the world, he was going places and she was just a broken porcelain doll with no real useful purpose in life. She was trying to make a career out of art but art was a hobby, it wouldn't pay her bills.

"Maya?" he called out, reeling her in from her thoughts, "I would never do that to you and you know it. And you'd be lying to yourself if that's what you think. You need a scapegoat? You need someone to take it out on because you're angry at them for what they did? Well go ahead and give me all you've got! I can take it and I'm not going anywhere. But what I won't take is you thinking even for a second that I'd do to you what they did. I am sorry that joke made you upset, but I won't ever apologize for making you smile," he finished with determination, cornering her against the window.

Their bodies were close now. So close that she was sure he was breathing in the air she breathed out. So close that she could count every single freckle on his face. So close that with a tilt of the head he could kiss her. Part of her wanted him to close that gap but another part of her was terrified of all that would happen if he did. Farkle was one of her best friends. Though Riley was like the sister she never had, there were things that Maya could never talk to Riley about because everything was sunshine and rainbows to Riley Matthews. And if it wasn't, Riley would be determined to fix it to make it sunshine and rainbows. Farkle however understood that the world wasn't always fair and that things couldn't always be fixed with a flick of the wrist or Riley's rose-colored glasses. He'd just listen without judgement. He had also witnessed things with her that she could never tell Riley. The whole Josh Matthews disaster being one…

* * *

 _It was a cold Friday in January, the day before her 18th birthday and it was supposed to be their date night but Josh had called Maya and cancelled, telling her he had midterm exams to study for and that he was way behind. Ever since Maya and Riley had started high school, the age gap between Maya and Josh seemed to have been reduced considerably in his eyes. She was now a senior and he was in his third year at NYU. Their three year age difference didn't seem like such a stretch anymore. They had been dating for 6 months and Maya had been happy as a clam. She knew Josh had been trying to keep his grades up to keep his scholarship to NYU so she tried to be on her best Riley-like behavior and let him study when he needed to._

 _That was why on this particular Friday night she decided to join her friends at a party being thrown by Do-Gooder Dave, their former classmate at JQA Middle. Dave had transferred across town for high school but still kept in touch with the JQA classmates. He had become known for throwing the craziest parties, his do-gooder days long gone, his name should really be Up-To-No-Good Dave now. She wasn't really into the scene of Dave's parties, there was a little too much debauchery even for her liking. It was also a rainy winter night and she just wanted to stay curled up on the couch but Zay and Lucas wanted to go, which in turn meant Riley and Farkle hopped on board, and so she felt obligated to come to keep her four friends out of serious trouble._

 _When they arrived at Dave's, Maya barely recognized anyone there. She'd seen a couple of former JQA students but most seemed to be from Dave's end of town. Riley had disappeared with Lucas to the dance floor and Zay was busy practicing pick-up lines on the entire cheerleading squad. She wasn't sure where Farkle had gone, he seemed to have vanished into the crowd of nameless faces._

 _Looking for a bathroom to dry off some of the cold winter rain, Maya made her way up the stairs and down the long hall, opening each door only to find couples groping each other behind them. She spotted Farkle closing a door behind him and coming down the hall towards her, his hands clenched into fists at his side. His eyebrows were knit together and the anger in his eyes were unlike anything Maya had ever seen before. Though he tried to soften his gaze upon spotting her, the usual pools of bright blue were dark, stormy. Something was seriously wrong._

 _"_ _Farkle, what's wrong?" she asked, stopping in front of him, concern filling her eyes as she glanced back to the door Farkle had come from._

 _"_ _Maya, we need to go. Now!" he commanded, tugging at her arm and pulling her with him._

 _"What?_ _No. Farkle!" she shouted, releasing herself from his grip, concerned at this sudden transformation, "Not until you tell me what's going on!"_

 _"_ _Maya!" he pleaded with her._

 _"_ _Oh come on, Farkle. Was there a couple on top of each other in there? Sweetie, we learned about this in Human Growth and Development—," she teased, trying to lift his spirits, as she reached for the door._

 _"_ _Maya, don't!" he shouted as she reached for the door and pushed it open but it was too late._

 _She could hear her heart shatter into a million pieces at the scene before her. There was Josh, down to his boxers with a topless Missy Bradford, skirt hitched up to her waist, tending to a bloodied Josh. His nose starting to bruise from the impact. Maya looked back at Farkle, his hands still clutched into fists at his side, as he looked away from Maya. Her brain tried to process everything in front of her but it seemed to do so in slow motion. The sound around her faded to a dull pounding as though she had been submerged underwater. The discarded layers of clothing strewn across the bathroom, the condom wrapper tossed on the floor, her boyfriend's hands settled on the thighs of blonde sitting on the sink counter._

 _"_ _Maya!" Josh cried out, spotting her in the mirror, "what are you doing here?"_

 _Maya crossed her arms across her chest. "I got bored and went out with my friends. I could ask you the same thing but looks like you got bored as well," she replied, her voice ice cold as her eyes remained glued to his hand on the other girl's thigh._

 _"_ _Maya, this isn't what it looks like," he replied, hastily removing his hands from Missy's legs, when he spotted Farkle behind her, "He doesn't know what he saw! He just came in and punched me. I was just about—" he cried out, pointing to Farkle but the slap that stung across his cheek silenced him immediately._

" _Really!? That's what you're going to go with it? It isn't what it looks like!? Tell me Josh, what could this possibly look like? Because to me it looks like the only thing you were about to do was get_ _dick-deep into Missy Bradford!" she tore into him, making him cringe at her choice of words but Maya could not care less, "It doesn't matter what Farkle saw because I saw it for myself. And even if I hadn't, I would have believed him. Because HE would NEVER lie to me!"_

 _"_ _Maya?" he called out desperately as she turned to leave, "Please don't tell Riley."_

 _Maya paused and looked at him. Of course she wouldn't tell Riley. Not for his sake but for the brunette who deserved to believe that people were inherently good._

 _"_ _Never speak to me again. If you ever see me, walk the other way!" she warned him, her voice cracking as she stormed off and out of the house, leaving her coat and everything behind, tears flooding her line of vision._

 _She walked aimlessly in the frigid rain, regretting that she had left her coat. She couldn't go home though, her mom and Shawn were having a date night and she didn't want to ruin it with her problems. The Matthews would know something was up and she could never lie to them. So instead she wandered into Central Park, sopping wet and shivering. Exhausted, she threw herself onto a bench and in the dark of the park began to cry. She was thankful that the rain fell steadily, concealing her tears with the large drops that dripped from her hair and down her cheeks. She felt cold, she felt numb and the only reason she knew she was still crying was because of the occasional salt she could taste on her lips from her tears. The air was crisp and cold but she struggled to breath as she felt her sobs rack her entire being._

 _"_ _Maya?" she heard a voice call out from behind. She turned to see Farkle running across the patches of dead grass toward her._

 _"_ _There you are!" his said breathlessly, "I've been looking all over for you."_

 _Her lips just quivered as she wrapped her arms around herself to try and steady her shivering body._

 _"_ _Just leave me alone, Farkle," she begged._

 _"_ _Absolutely not! Come on Maya, you are soaking wet and sitting in 20-degree weather. We need to get you inside before you catch hypothermia!"_

 _"No!_ _I can't go home," she cried, "Not like this!"_

 _"_ _Then we won't," he said softly, pulling her up and wrapping his coat around her, "You can come to my house. My parents are traveling to London this week anyway and you won't have to answer any questions you don't want to."_

 _Maya nodded and let Farkle guide her out of the park and to his Upper West Side condo that overlooked the city of New York._

 _When they reached his apartment, he pulled off his coat from Maya's shoulders and hung it to dry as he helped her out of her boots and extra layers of soaked clothing. She could see he was now shivering as much as she was but he was determined to make sure she was ok._

 _"_ _F-F-Farkle," she managed to whisper, tugging at his scarf to let him know he needed to take care of himself too._

 _"_ _Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," he reassured her as he grabbed her hand and ushered her into his bathroom and turned on the hot water._

 _"_ _Get in," he commanded, "I'll go get you some warm towels."_

 _Maya stepped into the shower in jeans and shirt and all, letting the warmth of the water envelop her and thaw her frigid limbs. Farkle returned with towels to find her sitting in the shower, legs pulled up to her chest, still dressed in her clothes. Without a word, he climbed in and sat on the floor of the shower across from her. He pulled her into him, pressing her against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his neck. They stayed like that, in silence, in each other's embrace. That was enough for her. They stayed until the hot water had started to run out._

 _As the water began to cool down, Farkle stood up, pulling Maya up with him. She kept her eyes locked on his. He was her beacon of hope, her guiding light telling her that it would all be ok. Though his eyes were still as dark as the night's ocean, she could see the glimmer of the haven they held. So when he tugged at the hem of her blouse, she simply raised her arms and let him pull it off of her, knowing there wasn't much more to be shed. Always a gentleman, his eyes never wavered from hers as he undid the button on her jeans and let the soaked denim slide down her legs._

 _He reached his hands up to cup her face and hold her gaze._

 _"_ _He was never worthy of you," he whispered so ardently that Maya felt it in her own core. For the briefest moment she considered closing the gap between her body and his. For a split second she wondered what it would be like to kiss Farkle. But that wouldn't be fair to either of them. She knew it. He knew it too. Which was why he reached over and turned off the shower, pulled the towel off the rack, wrapping it around her before stepping out of the shower himself. He pulled off his soaked sweater and jeans and grabbed a towel for himself as he made his way out of the bathroom, still drenched in a pair of soaked boxers._

 _Maya had sat in the bathroom for another five minutes, dazed and confused. She was angry at Josh, she was hurt by him but she was also confused about what she had just felt with Farkle. She and Farkle had always been close but lately there had been a shift in their dynamic. If she were honest with herself, this wasn't the first time she had felt something turn inside her with regards to Farkle. Heat flooded her cheeks as she thought about how she had just let him undress her. Sure he had seen her in a swimsuit a countless number of times over the years but the act of undressing someone was such an intimate thing. She knew he had only done it to take care of her and that he'd never try to take advantage of a situation like that. Nonetheless the ease with which she let him strip her down shook her to the core._

 _When she had finally made her way back to Farkle's room he was nowhere to be seen. She heard music playing softly on his computer and saw a stack of clothes on his bed that he had laid out for her. In the pile was a pair of flannel plaid pajama pants and a black t-rex shirt that she hadn't seen him wear since the 7th grade. She discarded her wet undergarments and pulled on each of the items he had left out for her. They smelled of Farkle, pine and fresh soap, and it comforted her._

 _She wasn't sure where Farkle had gone but she looked at his bed, her eyes growing tired, swollen from her tears, and she pulled back the sheets and wrapped herself in them. She could hear Farkle's voice down the hall as he approached his room._

 _"_ _Riley, Maya's fine, she just wasn't feeling well. I've got her staying with me."_

 _There was a moment of silence as Riley spoke on her end and then Maya heard his response._

 _"_ _It's ok, don't leave the party. She'll be asleep soon anyway. Don't worry, I'll take good care of her. Bye Riles."_

 _Maya felt another single tear fall onto the pillow case as she breathed a sigh of relief. Of course he'd take care of her. He always did look out for his friends. And for that, Maya would be eternally grateful because right now she couldn't bear the thought of facing Riley._

 _When he walked back into his room, Maya could see that he had changed into a pair of Navy pajama pants and his red 'Think Like a Proton' t-shirt. He came in carrying a tray with tea and cookies. He set it down on his night stand, and sat down on the edge of the bed, looking at her, the pain in her eyes clearly reflected in his own._

 _"_ _I brought you some tea and your favorite oatmeal cookies that my mom makes," he said softly._

 _"_ _I'm not hungry, Farkle," she said, her voice void of emotions, and she stared at the artwork that hung above his desk, it was the drawing she had given him years ago in the library._

 _"_ _Maya, please, just eat a little. It will help you feel better," he pleaded with her._

" _I doubt it," she mumbled._

 _But as she looked into his deep blue eyes she knew she couldn't deny him, not after everything he had done for her. So she nodded, sitting up in bed as he set the tray in her lap._

 _She took a bite of the cookie but it felt like sandpaper to her throat, so she opted for the tea instead. Farkle sat patiently, waiting for her to say something when she was ready. She wasn't sure what made her say it, whether it was relief or to prove to Farkle that she wasn't Missy Bradford…or both._

 _"_ _I never slept with him," she confessed._

 _Farkle looked at her with a tilt of his head and a small smile, "I know," he admitted._

 _"_ _How would you know?" she asked. They were close but they definitely never broached that subject with each other before. That was definitely Riley territory._

 _"_ _Because I know you, Maya. And I also know that if he had ever been so lucky to have you, there was no way he'd ever have passed you up for Missy Bradford."_

 _Maya nodded, that damn knot forming in her throat again, and turned back to her tea._

" _I'm sorry, by the way," he said. She snapped her head up, confused._

" _What? What are you sorry about?" she asked._

" _Well, I'm definitely not sorry for breaking his nose," he said with a soft chuckle, which made her smile ever so slightly, "But I'm sorry you are going through this. He never apologized to you and I felt like you deserved an apology."_

" _Farkle…" she replied, tearing up as she reached for his hand, focusing on its warmth against her palm, "It's not your job to apologize for him. You did nothing wrong."_

" _And if you try to again, I'll slug you," she added with a sad smile, her eyes meeting his before shifting back down to the teacup in her hand._

 _"_ _Maya?" Farkle called out after another long pause. She looked up to meet his eyes, "Josh Matthews is not the last guy you are ever going to love. I promise you."_

 _And just like that Farkle Minkus had managed to break Maya Hart all over again. Her lips trembled and she lost her grip on the teacup in her hand but Farkle reached over, taking her hand in his, steadying it for her and helping her set it back down on the tray. Farkle stood and moved the tray off her lap and pulled her into a tight embrace. He held her that way until her sobs subsided. When he felt her breathing even out, he pulled back, holding her face in his hands using his thumb to wipe her tear-stained cheeks. They stared at one another for a long breath._

" _I love you, Maya. So never let guys like Josh Matthews make you feel like you aren't loved. Because you are…and always will be. I'll never let you forget that," he declared as he planted a light kiss on the tip of her nose._

" _Understood?" he asked and she simply nodded her head silently._

" _Good," he said, "Now, try and get some sleep. I'll be right down the hall, just call me if you need anything." He turned off the lamp on his night stand, grabbing a pillow, he began to leave his room when he heard her call._

 _"_ _Farkle," she called softly. He turned to meet her eyes._

 _"_ _Stay?" she asked. He hesitated for a moment but the look in her eyes was the same as that time in Texas. It was that lost and hopeless look that was screaming for someone to fix her. He nodded silently, lifting the covers and sliding in beside her._

" _Do you want me to put on a movie? Maybe it will help you sleep?" he offered._

 _She shook her head and turned into him, "I just need you," she replied as she closed her eyes and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat._

* * *

She had left that next morning before he woke. They never spoke of that night again. They had never told Riley or Lucas or anyone about it. As far as Riley was concerned, Maya and Josh had broken up because they weren't interested in the same things…which really wasn't a lie, she thought. He was into multiple girls at one time and Maya was more of the monogamist type.

But as she stared at the person who helped her through that whole ordeal, and hearing his declaration, Maya recalled the words of a song playing in his room that night…

… _I'll use you as a focal point_

 _So I don't lose sight of what I want…_

… _I found love where it wasn't supposed to be_

 _Right in front of me_

 _Talk some sense to me…_

Maya was scared. This was all becoming too real. She didn't want to risk losing Farkle. She couldn't come back from that if things went wrong.

"Farkle, please stop. Stop talking" she pleaded with him now, and Maya Hart was not one to beg.

Just then the lodge door burst open and they heard the arrival of their friends.

"Oh, well excuse us, are we interrupting something?" they heard Zay's voice from across the room.

Farkle took a deep breath and turned to look at Zay, "Get out!" he shouted.

"Okay, Okay….no need to get feisty about it, I'm just going to get out of your way" Zay responded, making his way over to the kitchen stool to get a better view instead.

Just then Riley popped her head into the room, followed by Lucas.

"Maya? Farkle? What's going on here?" the doe-eyed brunette asked, clueless about what was taking place between her two best friends.

"Nothing, Riles," Maya responded, her voice hoarse as she tried to put some space between herself and Farkle.

Lucas was quick to pick up on the vibe in the room, knowing all too well the look on Maya's face. He had seen it on her face before back in Texas when Riley tried to push the two of them together. He looked over to Farkle, who had not yet looked away from Maya.

"Riley," he said, tugging at her arm, "I think we should give Farkle and Maya another minute."

"Oh, ok" Riley said, still not understanding but agreeing.

"That's not necessary Lucas," Maya called out, "I have to get going anyway, and Riley is here so she can help me back to our cabin."

"But Maya…" Farkle tried to stop her.

"Farkle, we should just leave well enough alone," she said turning on him as she grabbed her crutches and made her way to the door.

"Peaches, are you ok?" Riley asked, as her best friend pulled on her coat.

"I'm fine," she said as she stormed out the front door as fast as her crutches allowed her.

"Farkle?" Riley asked, hoping for some explanation. But Farkle just shook his head, raising his hands in the air and then dropping them at his side.

'Well, I think I'd better go and check on Maya," Riley said to Lucas, as she watched Farkle with worry, "Maybe you should check on him. Maya and Farkle don't ever really fight Lucas and this could be serious."

Lucas nodded giving Riley a kiss on the cheek as he bid her goodnight, shutting the door behind him and turned to face his best friend.

That night Farkle and Maya both stared blankly into the fireplace of their respective cabins, while their best friends grilled them about what had happened earlier that night.

"Riley, I don't want to talk about it!" Maya shouted, storming off into her room and slamming the door behind her.

"Lucas, not tonight, ok?" Farkle argued, attempting to make his way to his room. But Lucas wasn't letting it go.

"No, Farkle! This is Maya we're talking about, man! You never let any of us walk away from an argument with each other. I'm not letting you two do it now. What the hell happened?"

"I'll tell you what happened," Zay chimed in.

"Zay! If you don't stay out of it—" Farkle began, turning on his heel and heading toward Zay.

"Farkle's in love with Maya," Zay shouted as he dodged Farkle's advance. The words stopped Farkle in his tracks though and the room fell silent.

"Farkle? Is it true?" Lucas asked.

Farkle dropped onto the couch burying in face in his hands.

Lucas sat across from him, "I thought you said you could never choose between Riley and Maya?"

"Yeah, Lucas," Farkle shot back looking up, "…and that was 4 years ago and 4 years ago I also said I wanted to go to whatever school all my friends went to. But we all went our separate ways, we've all grown up. Things change. I'll always love both Riley and Maya. But now I know it's not in the same way. I love Riley like she's a sister but I'm in love with Maya."

"Wow, Farkle. I had no idea. How long have you felt this way about her?"

"I don't know. A while now," he said with a hopeless sigh.

"Why didn't you say anything to us?"

"Because Lucas! This is Maya we're talking about!" he repeated the Texan's own words back at him, "She's always loved me the way I am and that's hard to find. I'd rather have her as a friend than ruin it by having her confirm she will only ever see me as a friend. It was easier to pretend the feelings weren't there if nobody knew," he replied, casting Zay a dark glance as he stood up and went to his room.

He stood over at the window and stared out into the snow-covered night. He could see her cabin from his window. He could make out her form, sitting at the bay window of her room with her sketch pad. Farkle sighed and shook his head. He wasn't sure what had come over him tonight but he was tired of pretending like he didn't love her. She had to know. Someone had to tell her how much she was loved and deserved to be loved. He had been so sure she felt something too. Maybe he had been wrong.

(To Be Continued)


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey all! If you are picking up on this story where we last left off a few months ago, the first two chapters have been slightly rewritten so make sure to check them out.**

* * *

Maya woke early the next morning after a night of tossing and turning. She stood up and placed her weight on her ankle, testing it out. The doctor had told her to stay off her ankle for 4 days before she could walk on it again, skiing was still out of the question but if she didn't find herself straining small hikes were ok. She had been cooped up inside for too many days of what was supposed to be a vacation and after last night's episode with Farkle she needed to get out and clear her head. So after testing her ankle out a bit more and determining that she was ok to walk on it, she got dressed, grabbed a bag, scribbled a quick note that she left on the coffee table and snuck out of the cabin, careful not to wake Riley in the process.

It was a cold morning and the sun was slowly making its way above the horizon. Maya followed a trail that led from the cabins into the woods. She knew that just beyond the pines was a trailhead that led up to Mount Baker Summit, a small clearing at the top that overlooked the village and a perfect spot for a morning sunrise. There was a fresh layer of snow on the ground but the skies were clear with no threat of more snow for the next few hours.

She reached the trailhead and noticed the posted sign indicated the hike to the summit was less than a mile away. Grabbing a walking stick off the ground for some added support, she set off into the woods, enjoying the serenity of the morning hours. Making sure not to aggravate her ankle, she took her time, resting on a rock or fallen log every now and then, pulling out her sketchbook for a quick rendering of her surroundings before continuing her trek.

After an hour of slowly making her way up the trail, she reached a clearing that overlooked the lake below. The view was breathtaking as the morning sun tried to burn away through the fog. Maya looked around, the trail seemed to continue upward but she noticed the path got steeper and would require some scrambling to get to the top, so she opted to end her journey here. Dropping her bag on the sloping rock, she shivered as she buttoned up her coat and pulled her scarf tighter around neck. The temperature in the clearing proved to be much colder as the winds whipped around her. She took a seat on the rock, careful not to get too close to the edge as the dew that had settled on the rocks had iced over forming a slippery slope.

She regretted not having thought to bring a thermos with coffee or cocoa. Pulling out her sketchbook and pastels again, she eyed the landscape before her, a winter wonderland sunrise she thought as she set to bring the three-dimensional world to paper.

"Maya?" she heard the voice call her name. Lifting her eyes from her drawing she turned to find that she was no longer alone on the mountain. She could see the blond Texan coming down the trail from the path that led to the summit.

"Hey Lucas," she replied in surprise, as he came and took a seat beside her on the sloping rock.

"You're up early," he commented plucking a pinecone from a nearby pine tree, "and back on your feet, I see."

"Yeah, rough night," she mumbled.

"Yeah, I gathered. Could that have something to do with what we walked into last night between you and Farkle?"

Maya shot him a death glare.

"Come on, Maya," he pushed, "I'm not as clueless as Riley. You care about him, don't you?"

"I care about all of us, Lucas," she deflected, her focus on the drawing in her lap. She recalled using those same words with Farkle back when she was sorting out her feelings for Lucas all those years ago.

"You deserve to be happy, you know. So does Farkle," he commented.

"And who says we aren't?" she asked, annoyance coloring her tone.

"No one. I guess all I'm saying is I've seen you two together, maybe it's time you guys explore your relationship with each other a bit deeper."

"There's nothing to explore! Farkle and I are friends, we've been friends since we were kids, and we will stay friends—just friends-we're good at it," she exclaimed.

"Yeah but maybe you'd be better as something more?" he offered, his glass green eyes so hopeful, like Riley's.

"Oh my God! Lucas, it is not yet 8AM, I have not had coffee, therefore I won't think twice about pushing you off this mountain!"

"If you say so," he chuckled, "but you know…if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here for you. And for whatever its worth, I think you two are good for each other."

"Thanks, Huckleberry. But if you and Riley can't make it work, I don't hold out much hope for anyone else," she said with a sigh.

"Riley and I still love each other, Maya. I want to be with her and I know she wants to be with me. We're just trying to learn how to be with each other while we're so far away from one another. But I know we'll work it out, I have faith."

"That's great Lucas. And maybe someday I'll find someone that gives me that faith too. But I guess I just want to find someone who sees me the way you see Riley. Farkle has always promised to love us both equally. I don't want to be with someone who could just as easily be happy with someone else. We've been down that road before, remember? It sucks."

He laughed and nodded in understanding, "Fair enough. But things do change. Remember that. I think Farkle made that promise long before he ever really understood what it was to be in love. You can certainly love two people at the same time and love them equally. But you can't be in love with more than one person."

She gave him a smile, shaking her head. "God, you and Riley are two peas in a pod." After a long silent pause, she asked, "Is he ok?"

"Who? Farkle?" has asked as she nodded in response.

"Well," he said with a smile, turning back to look at the path he had come down moments earlier, "I guess you can just ask him yourself."

Maya turned, following Lucas' gaze up the path where she could now see Farkle making his way down from the summit as well. Lucas stood from the ground, grabbing his bag and wiping his hands clean on his jeans.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" she exclaimed in a panicked whisper, "Sit down, you sit down right now!"

"Sorry Maya, but I promised Riley I'd meet her for breakfast. I have to get back down to the village," he said with an impish smile, his green eyes lit up with mischief.

For a brief moment she considered grabbing her things and making herself disappear from the area but it was too late as Farkle had already spotted them. She cursed under her breath.

"Well, Maya, I leave you in good hands," Lucas said giving her a pointed look. "Farkle, I've got to get back down to meet Riley. I'm sure you can keep Maya company and make sure she gets back to the village without spraining another ankle."

"I don't need a babysitter," she mumbled.

"Maya, your footing on the way down is much harder than on the way up. I probably slipped twice on the way down already," Lucas argued.

"Fine, Ranger Rick," she muttered with a huff as he tipped his invisible ranger hat at her.

Lucas left them and headed back down the trail as Maya and Farkle both looked after him. When he was out of their line of sight, Maya turned back to her drawing and released a breath.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked quietly.

"It's a free mountain," Maya said curtly, waving at the air without looking at him.

"Maya," he said, in a tone that she usually heard from Riley. It was the tone Riley used when she was trying to get Maya not to lock her out, except this time it was coming from Farkle.

She let out a soft sigh and turned up to face him, "Sorry," she replied softly, scooting to the side to make room for him.

He plopped down beside her, resting his backpack between his knees. She could feel the warmth radiating off of him. They were silent for a long moment.

"How was the view up at top?" she asked, desperate to break the silence. This wasn't how she and Farkle were, this wasn't how they operated. This small talk was nonsense.

"It was nice, but the view is better from here," he replied. She looked up at him, scared that she'd find him looking at her but disappointed to see he was still gazing out to the horizon at the rising sun.

"Oh, ok," she responded.

Another long silent pause followed. It was driving Maya bonkers and she couldn't take it anymore.

"Farkle!"

"Maya!" he exclaimed at the same time.

They both paused and looked at each other and chuckled.

"You first," she said, beating him to the punch.

"I'm sorry," he said sincerely, "About last night. I shouldn't have tricked you."

She shook her head, "No, you don't have to apologize, Farkle. You were right. You aren't my dad. You aren't Josh. You're nothing like them. I just let my emotions get the best of me. When it comes to things that matter, I know you'd never hurt me. You're a great friend, Farkle."

"Friends," he repeated with a tight smile that didn't reflect in his eyes, "Always."

She turned back to her drawing as he turned back to face the horizon. They sat in a companionable silence. She would stop every now and then, when the wind blew stronger and rubbed her hands together for warmth. She had a pair of hand warmers in her gloves, but the gloves always got in the way of her drawing. When she had to stop to warm her hands for the fourth time, Farkle opened his pack, rummaging through it until he pulled out an insulated thermos and handed it to her.

"Coffee," he explained when she gave him a questioning look. He reached back into his pack and pulled out a paper bag revealing two snickerdoodle cookies that she recognized were from the Lodge Café. He handed one to her, which she gratefully accepted and he took the other for himself. The combination was just what she needed. They shared the coffee, passing the thermos back and forth.

"Is that what they taught you to pack in cub scouts for survival in the outdoors?" she mocked light-heartedly, closing her sketchbook and sitting back basking in the morning's rays, "Snickerdoodles and coffee?"

"No, but it keeps the ladies happy, doesn't it?" he returned with a chuckle as he nudged her shoulder with his own. She smiled back at him and rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, the mountains are teeming with girls at this hour," she deadpanned.

"Only the one that matters," he replied so quickly, it must have been a slip of the tongue. Maya looked over at him but he sat there as calm and collected as always. She shook it off. Farkle had spent their entire lives proclaiming his love for herself and Riley, why was she trying to read into everything he said now? Maybe it was the fact that Farkle Minkus had a way of making a girl feel like she was the only one in the world worth looking at. But she knew that if it were Riley sitting on this mountain with him this morning instead, then she'd be the only other girl that mattered. Despite it being unrequited, her best friend would always hold the other half of Farkle's heart. Maya wanted someone who could give her their whole heart, undivided. That was what Cory and Topanga had. That was what Lucas and Riley had. Even her mom and Shawn have it, she thought. Would she ever?

Her past experiences told her no. Her father went and got himself another family. Josh went out and got himself another girl. And even Farkle, as loyal as he was, had proved to her that she wasn't enough, that his love had to be divided between her and Riley.

"Maya?" she heard her name being called. It was him but this voice sounded distant, "Maya?"

She looked at him, his voice coming back into focus. Realizing that she had spaced out on him, she shook her head as though trying to lift the fog that had set over her thoughts.

"Are you ok? Penny for your thoughts?"

"I'm fine, sorry," she lied, "I'm just a little tired. This hike has been the most movement I've done all week."

"Ok," he said, his brows furrowing with concern, "Do you want to head back? Maybe get some real breakfast?"

"Sure," she smiled and let him help her onto her feet. He bent over and picked up her pack and placed her art supplies back into it before handing it to her. She slipped it onto her back as he picked up his and did the same.

"Okay," he said turning back to face her, "Lucas was right, by the way. The trail back down poses a bigger threat for slipping. There's melted ice on the rocks and the leaves have become a slippery mush. So we'll take it slow. Okay?" She nodded in agreement.

"Okay, you need your gloves?" he asked.

"No, they'll be good for the walk down. I've got hand warmers in my pockets."

"Then let's go," he said as he turned to lead the way, grabbing her hand in the process. His hands were warm and she felt the heat radiate onto her own like a gentle flowing current. They had held hands before, a hundred times, why did it have to feel so different now? She didn't object to him though. Instead she let him take the lead and before she knew it, they were back at the trailhead. He released her hand as they stepped off the trail and she immediately missed its warmth and shoved it into her pocket to keep from fidgeting.

"Feeling good? Ankle ok?" he turned checking on her as she took a break on a rock before they continued down the path to the Lodge Café.

"Yeah," she replied a little breathless from the hike. Once she had caught her breath, she stood indicating she was ready to get moving.

When they walked into the Lodge Café ten minutes later, they spotted Riley, Zay, and Lucas at a table by the fireplace, finishing up their breakfast. Farkle pulled up two chairs so they could join them.

"Hey Peaches! Lucas said he ran into you on the trail this morning. Why didn't you wake me? I would have gone with you."

"Aw Riles, you and I both know you would have been slumped over a rock in the first five minutes. Then I'd have to leave you to the bears," Maya teased as she took a seat next to Farkle. Riley Matthews was a morning person but she was most certainly not a mountain lady, as she liked to call it.

The door to the café opened, the bell that hung on the threshold jingled indicating the arrival of a new patron.

"Hey, look it's my uncle. Uncle Josh!" Riley called out, waving her uncle over.

Maya and Farkle exchanged a quick glance.

"You know what?" Maya said pushing herself away from the table and standing up quickly, "I just realized how hungry I am. That hike was more strenuous than I thought. I'm going to go order something, I'll be right back." With that she made a beeline for the barista but not before she felt someone grab her elbow and whip her around. She found herself facing her ex and yanked her arm away from his touch.

"Don't you dare touch me," Maya spit out venomously as she turned to walk away from him.

"Oh, Come on Maya. You can't stay mad at me forever," he whined.

"I thought I told you to never speak to me again!" she snapped turning on him. She spotted her friends watching them carefully, a confused expression on Riley's face. Her eyes shifted towards Farkle ever so briefly but it was enough to know that he was watching this exchange like a hawk.

"Maya, what's Riley going to think if she sees us arguing like this?"

"You know what, I don't care what she thinks about us right now. Just leave me alone."

The doorbell to the café rung once more, catching both Maya and Josh's attention. Through it came none other than the bane of Maya's existence, Missy Bradford. Maya sighed, "You have got to be shitting me," she muttered, "what is she doing here?"

"Um, well…you see… Missy and I—"

" _Missy and I? We?_ What so you two found your happily ever after? How sweet," Maya said icily as she turned around to leave when she heard Missy's shrill voice call out her name.

"Maya Hart…not trying to take what isn't yours, are you?" she said with a fake laugh, as she wrapped her arms around Josh and planted a kiss on his lips.

"No, Missy. That's your M.O., not mine," she replied, using all the energy she had left to not pop the girl in her mouth.

"Oh, Sweetie. It's not taking, when they come willingly," Missy replied feigning boredom, looking at her nails, but Maya knew she was loving every second of it. God, she was a vile being. Could sex with her really be so mind-blowing that Josh Matthews would put up with her bullshit for it?

Before Maya could process what was happening, she felt another arm wrap around her shoulders. A familiar scent of pine and fresh soap flooded her senses. His voice was the next thing she instantly recognized.

"Hey, Babe," he whispered in her ear, just loud enough for Josh and Missy to hear, "Here's that coffee you wanted."

Maya looked over at him, his eyes were her focal point and they told her what she needed to know. She needed to follow his lead. She nodded with a soft smile, taking the cup from his hand.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. His skin was warm against her lips and Maya found it all too easy to step into this role play with him. It scared her.

"You ready to go?" he asked, pulling her close, ignoring the gawking couple standing in front of him.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Josh blurted out suddenly, half laughing.

Farkle looked over at Josh, as though suddenly realizing her was there, "Oh, Josh…Missy," he greeted them curtly. Josh Matthews looked between Farkle and Maya and back again before repeating his question, "This is a joke right?"

"Is what a joke?" Maya replied seriously.

"This!" he said waving his hands between Maya and Farkle, his smile faltering a bit, "You expect me to believe you and Minkus are now an item?"

"And why not?" Maya spat back, his greater-than-thou attitude was grinding on her last nerve, "What's it to you anyway?"

"It's nothing to me," he said coldly, "I'm just saying, I always knew Minkus was in love with you. But you…and a Minkus. Let's just say I see what you two are selling and I'm not buying. I'd say he's more of a beard than a boyfriend."

"Well Josh, frankly, I don't give a damn what you believe," she replied tiredly as she turned away from him to face Farkle, her eyes fixed onto his, "Because even if he was just a beard, he'd still make for a far better boyfriend than you ever did."

Farkle smiled softly at her, placing his signature kiss on her nose. She beamed at him and before she could fully process what she was doing, she had wrapped her hands behind his neck, nudging his face down towards her and she brought her lips to his. Farkle responded quickly as one hand snaked around her waist pulling her even closer to him as the other dug into her golden curls. He deepened the kiss, catching her by surprise and she found she was pleasantly surprised. His lips were soft and tasted like mint and chocolate.

Farkle had a habit of being able to turn everything into a foolproof mathematical equation. She recalled the time when he helped Lucas with his basketball shots. For a brief moment Maya mused whether he had managed to develop a mathematical formula to calculate the perfect kiss. The same current that passed between them when she held his hand, now coursed through her entire body. It was as if she'd suddenly come to life.

Her thoughts and the kiss were interrupted by hushed whispers around the lodge and followed by Zay's boisterous catcalls and hoots of "Yeah, that's my boy! Farkle!"

Maya opened her eyes slowly and found and a similar pair of blues staring back at her. Both his hands were now cupping her cheeks.

"Whoa," he whispered so softly that only she could hear.

"Whatever. Come on, Missy" Josh mumbled gruffly as he shoved past Maya and Farkle roughly and exited the lodge.

"OK! Will somebody tell me what the heck is going on here!?" Riley shouted across the room breaking Maya's gaze from Farkle.

She could feel the heat rising to her face as she noticed the entire room was focused on the pair of them. Zay and Lucas with large grins plastered across their faces. Riley with a perfectly confused and questioning look. Smackle and Mitsi had their usual stink-faced scowls. Sarah, Darby, Yogi, and a few others were sprinkled in there with varying expressions between delight and utter confusion as well.

"I …um… have to go," Maya said softly, looking away from him.

"Maya, wait…" Farkle began going after her.

"I'm sorry Farkle, I don't know why I….I… I'm sorry. I have to go," she stuttered, a panicked look on her face and she pushed past him and exited the lodge as quickly as her legs would carry her.

* * *

Farkle was about to take off after her, when he felt a tug so strong from the back of his hoodie that it brought him down to the couch.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Riley cried out, "You are going to sit here and explain to me what the heck is going on!"

"But Riley—" Farkle tried to argue and get up but she pushed him right back down.

"No…No buts, Farkle! What was that? First I see Uncle Josh walk in and am confused as to why he's here. Then I see him talking to Maya and I think 'Oh, maybe they're getting back together.' Then I see Missy "Ew" Bradford sidle up to him and the next thing I know you're there and then the next thing I know you and Maya are in the middle of a hot and heavy whoa-inducing kiss!"

"What's going on?" she whined dramatically as she plopped onto the seat beside him as Lucas and Zay joined him.

Farkle remained silent and leaned his head back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

"Are you and Maya dating?" Riley asked hopefully.

"No, Riley," he responded, his voice tired and defeated.

"So, what was that then?" she asked softly this time.

"It was a fake kiss to make your uncle jealous," he blurted out.

Riley smiled, "Farkle…I know you and I know Maya. There was nothing fake about that kiss," she said, touching his shoulder gently.

"I was just…" he struggled to find the words, "… I was just trying to protect her," he sighed in frustration.

"Protect her?" Riley looked to Lucas and Zay for an explanation but both looked just as confused, "Protect her from what, Farkle?"

"From whatever your Uncle Josh had up his sleeve," he groaned.

"Uncle Josh? I don't understand…What does he have to do with this?"

"Everything!" he cried out, "Riley…Maya and Josh, their breakup—it wasn't exactly mutual like Maya painted it to be."

"What happened!?" she demanded.

"I can't tell you Riley. Maya would kill me."

Riley stood up and grabbed him by the shirt collar, "You tell me right now, or I'll kill you! This is Maya, we're talking about Farkle. She's my best friend and I don't want anyone hurting her. Not you, not my Uncle Josh, not anyone. Tell me what happened."

"Riley! I can't! She wouldn't want you to know!" he shouted back.

"Why not?" she asked, her voice small and hurt that her best friend wouldn't trust her with something so important.

"Because," he responded gently, seeing the look on her face, "She thinks you deserve to think well of your uncle, no matter what."

"You know, I always knew something was off about the story she gave me about why they broke up. I could never figure it out though. Farkle, what did he do?" she pressed once more, her tone serious.

Farkle sighed and sat up. He fixed his eyes on Lucas and Zay, knowing he'd likely have to contain the two of them more than Riley.

"Remember that party at Do-Good Dave's back in January?" he recalled and they all nodded, "Well remember Maya had come with us because Josh was supposed to be studying for some NYU midterms?" they nodded again. "Well as it turned out, the only thing he was studying for was how to be a cheating jackass and boy did he ace that with flying colors."

"What are you saying, Farkle?" Riley asked.

"I'm saying, as soon as we got to the party, I walked in on your uncle screwing Missy Bradford in the bathroom. Maya was just behind me and I tried to convince her to go back downstairs with me but she pushed past me and walked in on it herself. She was pretty devastated. She told him never to speak to her again and he asked her to not mention it to you. She said she wouldn't but not for his sake but rather for yours, Riley. She thought you deserve to always think well of your family."

"I'll kill him!" both Zay and Lucas shouted at the same time as they shot up readying themselves to go hunt down Riley's uncle.

Farkle tugged on both of their jackets, forcing them to sit back down.

"Relax, he already got a broken nose out of it."

"Did Maya southpaw him!?" Zay asked excitedly, fisting his hands and jabbing at the air, "I always knew she had it in her!"

"No, I did. And it felt good too. Sorry, Riley," he replied with an unapologetic smirk, which earned him claps on the back from both Zay and Lucas.

"Well I'll give him a second one!" Lucas said standing up again.

"And I'll give him a third!" Zay chimed in following Lucas' lead.

"And Maya will give us 3-each if you two don't sit down and let it go!" Farkle said pushing them down again.

They all turned to face Riley who had been silent. She looked up at Farkle, a sad smile on her face.

"You were the only one who knew?" she asked and he nodded in response, "And you took care of her?"

"Of course," he replied.

"And you were just trying to protect her earlier? From Missy and Josh?" she said with a smirk of her own now.

"Yes," he replied a bit flustered now, "I saw Josh come in and then Missy was there and I knew nothing good was going to come out of that interaction. I just wanted to protect her. I didn't want the two of them to do anything to hurt her. Maya's not someone to be pitied and I didn't want your uncle giving her some pathetic look like she was some abandoned puppy at a shelter."

"I see. So…kissing her was the way to protect her?"

"I don't know, Riley. She kissed me so I kissed her back" he cried out again, struggling to understand what had just happened himself.

"Well that kiss seemed like an awful lot more than just protection, don't you think so boys?" she asked, turning to Lucas and Zay, who were both grinning from ear to ear.

"You guys are the worst," Farkle mumbled as he dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling again.

"Farkle, are you in love with Maya?"

"Girl! You saw that kiss, what do you think!?" Zay chimed in.

"I asked Farkle, not you!"

Farkle sat up and looked at the brunette he considered to be one of his best friends. He felt a sudden wave of guilt wash over him. How could he tell her that he was? He had always vowed to love them both the same.

"Riley…I'm sorry, I promised you both I could never and would never choose between you—"

"Farkle! Don't be ridiculous!" she said with a light laugh, "You don't honestly think we expected you would love us both the same forever, did you? I know you love me and that you'd do anything for your friends. But there is nothing wrong with loving me one way and loving Maya another. I think you always did love us differently, you just didn't know it. I've been waiting for years for you to finally come to that realization."

"What do you mean?"

"Farkle, when we were kids, you asked us to never let you not understand love. Well I think it's time I honor that promise we made to you," she declared. "When the rest of us were falling apart trying to cope with the changes of growing up, you were always calm and took it in stride. But one thing you may have missed in the process is that you can't control your heart and tell it how it needs to love someone. We've all changed over the years. The essentials are still the same, I think, but we are all a little more secure in who we are and what we want in life. And that's not a bad thing. I think you know that you and Maya share a special bond that you and I never had. I think you love her the way I love Lucas, like a soulmate…" she said, beaming at Lucas, "…And I think you love me the way I love you, as the best kind of friend. And that's ok! You aren't choosing _between_ us Farkle because that was never the choice you had to make. The choice you always had to make was whether you'd ever allow yourself to see that you can love two people in entirely different ways and never lose either of them."

"Riley…loving you and Maya in different ways would make me lose one of you. As long as I loved you both the same, neither one of you could ever turn me down. But if I cross that line with Maya and she doesn't feel the same, then I lose her."

"Farkle, I can't believe I never questioned either of you sooner but you have always been each other's support system. She cares about you and she loves you for who you are. She was your biggest supporter back when you got tested for Autism and you've always been her biggest fan. You believe in her in a way that no else can, and I'm her best friend! You carried that drawing she gave you for years in your wallet. You only stopped carrying it because it started to tear and so your framed it instead. You've always been able to see the best in her, even when she and I went through tough times. You love her and she loves you."

"Besides…didn't you already marry her back in the 7th grade? All you have do now is date her. Should be a piece of cake in comparison, right?" Lucas chimed in with a laugh.

Farkle chuckled beside him, "Yeah, right." He sighed and looked back at Riley, "What do I do?"

"Go to her!" she beamed in response.

"I don't know, Riley," he said warily, "She looked pretty upset when she left here. I don't think she wants to see me right now."

"FARKLE!" she commanded, "Go to her," She reached into her bag and pulled out the key to their cabin and placed it in his hand. "She may not let you in but this way, she can't stop you."

"Thanks, Riley," he said with a soft smile.

He got up and grabbed his jacket and began pulling it on as he headed toward the door.

"Farkle! Wait up," Zay called after him, meeting him by the door. "So listen, since you and Maya are about to you know… bow-chika-wow-wow—"

"Really, Zay?" Farkle shook his head, giving his friend a pointed look of embarrassment.

Zay shrugged, "Eh you know what I mean. But anyway, since you two are trying to work things out…would you mind if I try to work things out with Smackle?"

"You and Smackle? You're kidding right?" Farkle laughed, humored by Zay.

"No, man! Girl has got it going on! Besides she is so into me…she just doesn't know it yet."

Farkle laughed wholeheartedly, clapping his friend on the back, "Zay, if you think you can convince Smackle to go out with you, then more power to you."

"Hey man, you laughing but ZayDora is the next big thing. You just wait and see!"

"Well, good luck then buddy. I mean it," Farkle said genuinely before opening the door to the café and stepping out into the cold late morning air.

Farkle trudged along the path to the cabin where Riley and Maya had been staying. A million scenarios played through his head but none of them gave him the right words. What would he say to her? Would she tear him to pieces? He found himself standing at their door sooner than he'd have liked. His heart raced a million miles a minute. Raising his hand, he rapped his knuckles against the door and waited. Riley had given him the key but he felt it would be rude to just barge in on her without attempting to knock. He tried knocking once more to no avail. With a deep breath in and then out, he pulled out the key to the cabin from his pocket and let himself in.

(To Be Continued)


	4. Chapter 4

Hey Readers,

If you're still with me on this story then that means all hope is not yet lost for the good ship Faya/Markle. Previews for this week's episode have me thinking our ship may be sinking. But I still love the pairing of Maya and Farkle above all others and have hope for them in the long game! Thus I continue to write… Enjoy!

* * *

Farkle crossed the threshold and into the cabin. His ears were met with silence as he looked around the room but saw no sign of Maya. He furrowed his brows, worried that maybe she hadn't come back to the cabin but had instead run off into one of the trails. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. He knew she wouldn't answer but he had to at least try. He waited and as the phone rang for the second time, her heard a ringtone sound through the cabin. He looked up at the door on the far end of the living area where the sound emanated from. It was her room. He hung up the call and the ringing on the other side of the door also stopped. _She's here_ , he thought breathing out a sigh of relief that she was safe. Moving toward the door that he knew to be her room now, he stopped when he reached it and knocked. No answer. He knocked again.

"Riley, I don't want to talk right now," she called out from the other side of the door, her voice dejected and torn.

"Maya," he called out nervously, "It's me. Can we please talk?"

"Farkle?" she asked, the tone in her voice betrayed her. She had not been expecting him to be the one on the other side.

"Yes," he replied, his forehead resting against her door, his heart racing a mile a minute.

"Farkle," he heard her sniffle as her voice cracked, she was crying and it made him all the more desperate to talk to her. "I really don't want to talk right now," she added but her voice much closer now. She was standing behind the door. All that separated them was this 8ft tall plank of wood and Farkle was ready to break through it if he had to.

"Maya, please!" he whispered, his own voice shaking now, fear that she'd shut him out for good beginning to settle in the pit of his stomach.

There was a long pregnant pause as he waited for a response, any response. It came in the form of a deadbolt unlocking and Farkle breathed a sigh of momentary relief before realizing that was the easy part. Now he had to face her and manage not to screw everything up. The door was unlocked but it remained closed. He took it as a sign to let himself in. He pushed the door open gently. Looking around the room, he noticed the setup was similar to his own cabin, the main difference being that his didn't house the beautiful blonde that stood by the window. He shut the door behind him softly and moved over to where she was standing. She had shed all her outer layers and was now wearing a black sweater that hung loosely on her petite frame and a pair of jeans that accentuated the curves on her body. Her golden curls were pulled back into a low messy bun that softened her features and Farkle couldn't help but admire her. He desperately wanted to close the distance between them again.

"Maya?" he breathed her name out softly, but she kept her gaze focused on the world outside her window, her arms crossed over her chest. He noticed as she uncrossed them to swipe the back of her hand across her cheeks.

"Hey," he called out softly, his voice brimming with concern as he took a step closer to her. He tugged at her elbow gently to get her to face him, "What's wrong?"

"Everything!" she practically shouted looking up at him now, though instead of anger, her voice carried fear along with her tear-stained cheeks.

Farkle frowned, "Is it Josh? Do you still love him?"

"What?" she looked at him genuinely surprised by the questioned, "No! God, no! How could you even think that?"

"I don't know, Maya," he said, "but last time you were this upset it had to do with him."

"It's not like that," she explained, "It's not him."

"It's me," he said suddenly, realization dawning on him that she was upset because of him, "It's because of what I did back at the cafe—"

"It's everything you do!" she cried out, her lips trembling as she stepped away from him. He found himself at a loss for words as he turned to face out the window now. He felt his own resolve threaten to break.

"What's happening to us, Farkle?" she asked, her voice small but her expression hopeful that he had the right answer as she stepped back toward him.

He looked down at the floor deciding how to respond before lifting his eyes to meet hers, "Nothing that hasn't been happening since we were 12."

"What?"

"I love you Maya. I've always loved you," he declared, finding the courage within him to just blow this ship right out of the water, "You know that and I won't apologize for it. But I love you not because you're Riley or Maya. I love you because you are Maya and that's enough for me."

"Aren't you mad that I kissed you in front of Josh to make him mad?" she asked. Farkle smiled. He knew his declaration caught her by surprise and she was now pulling at straws.

"Maya…if we weren't best friends," he said as he took a step toward her, "If you weren't this beautiful brave blonde with a heart of gold, if you weren't such a great kisser, and if I believed that that's why you kissed me" another step, "Then maybe I'd have minded a little…but a long time ago I told you I'd always be there for you and to use me as you saw fit. So no, I don't mind. I don't mind it at all. In fact…I think I might just be willing to do it again…right now," he said with determination, taking a final step as she backed into the wall and he towered above her. He brought his hands up to frame her face.

"Farkle, I'm scared," she confessed, her eyes pleading with him.

"Of me?" he asked, his voice and eyes softening at the fear etched into her face.

"No, never of you," she declared, her eyes immediately fixing on his again, afraid he'd misunderstand her, "Of us. Of what happens if this falls apart and we lose each other? You mean too much to me Farkle."

"Maya, do you love me?" he asked and hoped above all hope that her answer would be yes.

"Of course," she said with a tender sigh, their eyes locking for a moment at her honest declaration.

"Ok…now this is the hard one… do you trust me?"

There was silence. Farkle knew that if the answer to this was no, then their chances were as good as dead. Maya would never be able to be with someone she didn't trust.

"I do," she finally said, "And that's what scares me the most." His lips folded into a soft smile at her response.

"Then trust me when I tell you that you never have to be scared with me. Maya, your heart is one of the things I love most about you. I'd never do anything to break it. I know those are only words and people have done a terrible job at keeping their word when it comes to you Maya but—"

* * *

She didn't let him finish. She had pulled him down and already had her lips on his. He brought a hand to rest on her waist, his fingers brushing the small of her back as her shirt fluttered back and forth, sending chills down her spine. She didn't understand what it was but kissing Farkle had an effect on her that she never experienced with Josh. It was a feeling that burned deep down within her. It was a feeling that made her want to let go and let him take control. His nose brushed against her, still cold from the outdoors but felt wonderful against her warm skin that had been burning and yearning for his proximity. His lips were soft and molded to hers so perfectly that she never wanted them to part. But when both had been starved of oxygen for too long, they finally broke apart, eyes fluttering open to meet each other.

"Ever going to let me do that first?" he whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke, the sensation making Maya's toes curl.

"Well, I don't know," she purred with a mischievous glint in her eye, "But now might be a pretty good time to try, don't you think?"

He smiled broadly and she felt him tug at her waist as he pulled her back toward him. With one hand still on her waist, the other snaked up behind her neck to pull her lips to his this time. He kissed her slowly but the intensity with which he explored her lips, as though trying to commit them to memory had her tugging at his shirt to pull him even closer.

She had always supposed that being with Farkle would be sweet and gentle…which he certainly was. What she had not expected was that being with Farkle would also have the force to make her weak in the knees and wanting more. Well maybe she had a fleeting suspicion that night in his shower after she had found Josh and Missy together but her mind had been too engrossed in her relationship falling apart to give her attraction to Farkle the attention it deserved. There was undeniable desire there on both sides that she had never experienced before. Is this what it felt like to be in love with someone you fully and wholeheartedly trusted?

His hand trailed higher up her back as she parted her lips to give his tongue access. He'd tease her with his kisses as they tested each other's limits. Everytime Maya got closer to feeling his tongue dance along hers, he'd pull back, slowing her down and letting her know that he was still in control right now. When his tongue finally brushed against hers, she let out a soft involuntary moan that had Farkle smiling against her lips with satisfaction. Maya pushed him back toward the bed and he sat down on the edge when he reached it, pulling her down onto his lap. They managed to do this without ever breaking their rhythm, every step and motion in sync with one another.

Maya felt her pulse quicken when Farkle turned, pushing her back toward the pillows as he leaned over her. His kisses moved from her lips to her jawline and toward her neck as his hand moved higher up from her waist, resting just above her belly button tracing soft circles around it. She felt as though her whole body was on fire. He moved back to her lips, planting another soft kiss on them before pulling back to look at her. Maya was breathless and flushed at the effect Farkle Minkus just had on her. He grinned at the look on her face.

"Better than that time I kissed your hand on the subway?" he teased.

"Oh, I don't know, that was a pretty glorious kiss," she kidded in return, rolling her eyes playfully.

"Maya?" he said a little nervously as his gaze turned serious, his fingers twirling a strand of her golden locks in one hand as he moved his other hand away from her stomach and pulled down the fabric of her shirt to cover any exposed skin.

"Hmm?"

"I love you," he said simply.

Maya smiled at him, as her hand brushed his tousled hair away from his face, "I love you too, Farkle."

"I want this to be good and I want it to be right," he continued sincerely, "And I believe we have a whole life together ahead of us. So I don't want to rush into anything."

Maya nodded, swallowing a lump in her throat, wanting more than anything for his words to be true.

"But.."

 _But_ , there it was, Maya thought as she closed her eyes and her heart sank, the word that always shattered her hopes and dreams. She furrowed her brows slightly, waiting for him to finish, unsure whether her heart would be able to take his rejection now.

"But…You are beautiful, inside and out… gorgeous actually and I have waited so long to be able to do this, Maya. To kiss you, to hold you…that I don't know if I'd have the strength to stop if we stay in this room. So I think for the sake of our future together we need to go get some fresh air before I do something stupid," he confessed with a small chuckle and a slight blush that made Maya laugh and breathe a sigh of relief. For once in her life the word _but_ did not come as an ending but rather a promise for the future.

She leaned up and placed a kiss on his nose this time. "Okay," she agreed, rolling off the bed and tugging at his hand, pulling him up with her.

"But," she whispered mischievously in his ear, pulling him into her, "Don't think that you'll be able to escape being alone with me in a room for too long." She didn't know where it came from. She had never flirted with Josh like this or even been comfortable talking about ever getting to that next level. It all felt so easy, so natural with Farkle.

He shook his head as though trying to compose himself, "I'd be crazy to even try," he said with a smile as he leaned down and kissed her again as her hands tugged on the waistband of his jeans.

"Seriously, we need to get out of here! You are trouble!" he said in a breathless whisper after a long kiss. He grabbed her hand and tugged her out of the cabin, her laughter trailing behind him.

* * *

Later that night, as they all gathered at the Lounge, Riley and Maya sat at the bay window by the fire watching the boys as they played pool.

"So", Riley said, tuning to her best friend, "Who knew one day you'd really become the real Mrs. Farkle Minkus?"

"Slow your roll, Lady Friar. We're just getting started," Maya replied, smiling at her boyfriend across the room.

"I'm happy for you, Maya. For both of you actually."

"Thanks, Riles," she smiled and took a sip of her hot cocoa. She looked down for a minute, thinking quietly.

"Riles—do you think Farkle and I stand a chance?" she asked as doubt began to set in.

"Maya Penelope Hart—" Riley began in a tone meant to chastise her friend.

"Riley—it's Farkle. He's the sweetest guy we've ever known. But he's also a genius. He can be whatever he wants to be in this world and he has the means to do it. He can go change the world and how am I going to change the world with a paintbrush? He needs someone who is his equal, intellectually."

"Maya!" Riley cried out, interrupting her friend's panic attack, "You're right, Farkle is a genius. And you know how I know he's a genius? Because instead of choosing to be with a girl who will make him a better scientist, he chose the girl who will challenge him to make him a better man."

"And you know what else?" she added, "The same admiration you have for him is equaled in him for you. He believes you can change the world, Maya. He truly does. He loves you for exactly who you are and would never want you to be anyone else."

Riley pulled her best friend into a hug, "So…get those thoughts out of your head. One day you will be Mrs. Maya Minkus and you'll have a ton of baby minkii running around. You just wait and see!"

Maya laughed, swiping away at the tears in her eyes, "You're such a romantic, peaches."

"I am! I love romance!" she declared proudly.

"Ladies!" Farkle said, sliding in and taking a seat beside Maya, throwing his arm around her, "What are you two talking about?"

"Nothing!" Maya replied quickly.

"Not nothing," Riley chirped in a sing-song voice, "Just about how one day you and Maya will be married and she'll be Maya Minkus and you'll have 11 baby minkii running around."

Farkle smiled and turned to Maya, "She off in Rileytown?"

"Yep, all sunshine and rainbows and purple cats now."

"So… Maya Minkus, huh? Has a nice ring to it," he teased.

"Well you know what else will have a nice ring to it?"

"What's that?" he asked with a smile.

"This finger," she said holding up her left hand and wiggling her ring finger, "Because that's the only way you'll get me to be Maya Minkus."

"Well I managed to put a ring on it in the 7th grade…I'm sure I'll manage to do it again," he whispered in her ear.

Maya blushed slightly and shrugged with a chuckle, "Maybe…someday."

"Yeah?" he asked.

"Maybe," she considered.

"Someday it is," he agreed with a smile.

"Don't hold your breath on the 11 though," she countered.

"10 then?" he offered.

"1."

"9?"

"2 and don't push it," she warned pointing a finger at him.

"Sounds good to me," he said giving her quick peck on the lips and leaning his forehead against hers.

"I'd have settled at one anyway," he added with a smile as he planted a kiss on her cheek and took off to continue his game with Lucas and Zay.

"So when's the wedding?" Riley asked, nudging her best friend's shoulder.

"Stop it," Maya warned with a laugh, "Hey, here's an idea…how about we talk about your other favorite subject now? You and Lucas?"

"Yay! I love that subject!" Riley beamed, her eyes brightened as she began talking about Lucas. Maya leaned back against the window, listening to her best friend, a content feeling settling inside her. For once, everything in her world felt just right.

The End.


End file.
